• 14-month-old with milk allergy and mild wheat allergy
• 2-year-old with milk allergy
• Alternatives to Cow's Milk
• Breastmilk Allergy
• Soy Milk
• See also: Asthma & Allergies

14-month-old with milk allergy and mild wheat allergy

Our 14-month old son has been diagnosed with a fairly strong allergy to milk and a mild allergy to wheat. He's still nursing, but we're thinking ahead to the day when he won't be any more, perhaps in three to five months. We're struggling with ways to feed him healthy, nutritious foods that don't exacerbate his allergic reactions. We're also hoping that he will lose his allergies as he grows up, but we're having difficulty finding good information on this issue. If anyone has experience with these childhood allergies, we'd appreciate learning more about how you dealt with it. Thanks and best regards. Bradley

2-year-old with milk allergy

When my daughter was born almost two years ago, it quickly became apparent that she had a dairy allergy. She breastfed, and if I had even a spot of milk in my tea, she would break out into a rash. We had thought she had outgrown the allergy, but we realize now that she as sensitive to dairy as ever -- the symptoms have just changed (eczema, congestion and sleeplessness).

I have never had a problem with dairy myself so I don't know much about how to cook and eat without it. After I bought some soy cheese that caused her to become symptomatic (I belatedly realized that it contained casein, the allergenic milk protein), I recognize that I'm going to need some guidance in navigating this new terrain.

What resources (books, cookbooks, people) do people know of that can help me educate myself about dairy allergy? I'm especially at a loss when it comes to baking, something I really enjoy doing. Is there a margarine-like thing that isn't full of hydrogenated oils? A good tofu baking book (I once had a vegan custard made of tofu that was delicious)? Also, she seems to do fine with goats' milk. Are there un-goaty tasting cheeses that would be toddler-friendly? Any advice on this issue will be greatly appreciated! -- Ilana

First of all, allergies, unlike intoleramces, mean that even a trace amount of the offending food can cause allergic reaction. Dairy allergy contributes not only to symptoms like skin rash, runny nose, and exacerbated asthma symptoms, but also to microscopic-level intestinal bleeding, associated with severe anemia and nutritional deficiency.

Reading labels has brought me to the conclusion that I need to be on the alert for whey, casein, and milk, cheese, etc, even in the most unexpected foods. Post makes several dry breakfast cereals that include whey in the ingredient list. There are a couple of ways to bypass the possibility of forgetting to read labels or that a baby-sitter or relative will unwittingly feed the child something with dairy. The most time-consuming way is to prepare your own foods whenever possible. Oatmeal, for example, can replace breakfast cereal and is pretty coinvenient. It takes only a few minutes to cook, and if you buy the 100% oats, available in old-fashioned, quick, and instant varieties, you can be confident in serving a very nutritious breakfast made from a healthy whole grain, and YOU are the one who has control of whether to add sugar/honey and how much, which is another advantage over commercial sweetened cereals. Cream of wheat and cream of rice offer the same advantages.

The less time-consuming but more expensive option is to buy products labeled as VEGAN (not vegetarian). This way you are guaranteed that absolutely NO dairy or dairy derivative will be present in the food. This saves you the hassle of reading ingredient lists and the risk that the family refrigerator will harbor potentially harmful foods. It is easy for the whole family to remember that the child cannot have cow's milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc; it is not reasonable to expect everyone, including older siblings, to remember that most commercial spaghetti sauces, to name just one example, are equally unsafe for the child with the allergy. Buying vegan products takes care of this problem, as well as the problem of cheese and yogurt substitutes which actually contain whey and/or casein. It's really important to remember that lactose-free does not by any means mean dairy-free; sometimes even dairy-free products contain the proteins our children are allergic to. The way to go, then, is vegan. Wild Oats Market (now Picadilly Market) and Whole Foods are two stores where I've found a wide selection of such foods, as well as employees who are helpful and knowledgeable when it comes to shopping for the child who is allergic to dairy.

A related observation is that prices of these foods vary widely from sotre to store. Andronico's sells Edensoy Extra (soymilk fortified with calcium, etc) for 2.59 a box, whereas Picadilly sells the same product for $1.99 a box. So pay attention to prices, save and compare receipts, and try not to go bankrupt in the process of feeding your child. I've decided to stick with Edensoy, since it's nutritious and doesn't have the bitter flavor that some soymilks do. It's also organic and free of genetically modified ingredients. The added advantage of this product (and many other soymilks) is that it's shelf-stable, so that when it goes on sale somewhere, I can stock up on boxes. I don't recommend switching brands of soymilk too often once you've found something your child likes. Unlike cow's milk, one brand does not taste just like any other. In order to prevent your child from developing an aversion to soymilk altogether, try to stick with the first brand that she or he seems to like.

I hope these observations will be useful. Sara